Local origination campus cable channels at University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) are now being broadcast in high-definition (HD) resolution using the new EMINENCE-HD2 broadcast server from LEIGHTRONIX. The EMINENCE-HD2 has proven to be the perfect fit for the UNCW cable network, providing an affordable HD television automation solution for unattended playout of student media productions, educational programming, and university events.
“We found the EMINENCE-HD2 was really the only hardware product on the market that we saw that was both a control system and an effective H.264 playout server. We looked around extensively and everything else was either a soft product, was very limited in terms of control, or a little bit weak in other ways,” said Chip Bobbert, technical producer on the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s campus. “The other thing is in today’s world there’s really a decline in the quality of engineering. We see quite the opposite with LEIGHTRONIX. It seems like each generation of products is better engineered than the generation before. With LEIGHTRONIX I get a secure hardware appliance that’s been purpose built and engineered to do exactly what I want it to do.”
The EMINENCE-HD2 is a multi-channel, HD video server featuring H.264 encode/decode hardware that delivers stunning digital video images at extremely low data rates. Providing an easy-to-use yet sophisticated system design, the EMINENCE-HD2 is tailored for local origination of HD channels in broadcast, cable, private communication networks, and digital signage applications. The server features HD/SD-SDI video inputs/outputs with support for embedded audio, and a highly compatible audio interface that supports direct connections for digital balanced AES audio as well as balanced analog signals.
The server utliizes superior H.264 video encoding/decoding technology, resulting in significantly smaller digital media file sizes as compared to HD servers built on MPEG-2 technology. “H.264 is extremely important to us because it’s really a true value codec,” Bobbert said. “It allows us to operate at the same quality as other HD codecs while requiring substantially fewer resources in terms of data storage which can be very expensive. There is a substantial savings in the bandwidth that is required to move an H.264 file, and a substantial savings in the capacity of size of that video.”
The EMINENCE-HD is the third generation of digital video playback and recording technology implemented by the UNCW cable network. “The number one thing that keeps me coming back to LEIGHTRONIX is the value,” he said. “There is definitely a value factor that they meet that simply isn’t there with many other companies.” For more information visit leightronix.com/uncw.
About LEIGHTRONIX, INC.
LEIGHTRONIX is recognized as an industry leader in specialty video equipment design and manufacturing, including digital video solutions, television automation, live and video-on-demand streaming media, and remote equipment control. A model of stability and longevity in the quickly evolving professional video market, LEIGHTRONIX continues to set standards in product value and versatility that exceed customer expectations in both product performance and support. Exceptional product reliability, a standard 5 year warranty, and cost-free technical support have made LEIGHTRONIX one of the most trusted names in the industry. For more information, visit www.leightronix.com.
